Friends to the end
by Ihamtmus
Summary: McCoy, Spock and Kirk - the golden trio we all know and love. Here is the effect of my fascination with their friendship: a bunch of drabbles which hopefully show it in an original way. Kind of a character study, I suppose. ;) NO slash.
1. A day inside

**A/N: Hello! English is not my mother tongue, so if you find a mistake, let me know, so I could correct it. Please, leave me a review! It can be short, but just tell me what you guys think. I hope you like it. :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

_A day inside_

Dark. Even though illuminated with billions of stars, the space is dark. They are sailing through an unending sea of twinkly blackness. It is always night here, light of so many suns cannot keep the darkness at bay. It is helpless against an overwhelming gloom, like a group of soldiers confronting a much more numerous force. Their heroics can be glorious, but no matter how much they try to survive, their hopeless attempts are doomed to failure.

Spock was looking through a huge window, lost in thoughts, when a gust of laughter made him turn around to see the Doctor and the Captain talking enthusiastically, broad smiles on their faces.

He felt a pleasant warmth spreading inside him.

_Fascinating_, he thought. How do only two stars always manage to make a day inside his heart so easily?


	2. Just like coffee

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_Just like coffee_

Yes, the Bridge is a very important part of the starship. It is a place where the most significant decisions are made, where an incompetence is not allowed, where a lapse in concentration can have really dangerous effects. Life and death of the whole crew depends on the vigilance and abilities of those who work there. It is definitely not a place for social meetings. People who have no important reason to be there, just... can't be there. There are no exceptions from that rule. At least there shouldn't be...

So how does one explain the fact that the ship's Chief Medical Officer visits this very important place so often? And, to be honest, in most cases without a good reason at all?

It's quite easy. Perhaps not everyone can understand it, but people who know the Captain can.

Because the Bridge without the presence of Leonard McCoy is like coffee without sugar. Many wouldn't mind, but James T. Kirk wouldn't be able to swallow it.

**A/N: Reviews?**


	3. A human alien

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_A human alien_

He really felt comfortable among humans. Their company suited him. Yes, they could be highly unreasonable, impatient, egoistic and most illogical. But all the same only them could be so passionate, so selfless, empathetic, compassionate. So... human.

But it wasn't the only reason why he quite enjoyed sharing his life with them. It was something deep inside him, something he didn't want to admit, even to himself.

He was an alien for them, that was the reason. They perceived him as a Vulcan. He had always longed to be treated like that. He had always felt isolated due to his human half. Because just as humans seemed to easily forget about it, Vulcans kept it in their minds. No matter what he achieved, how he behaved, how he tried to prove that he really was a Vulcan, he had always been alien in a way for his own kin.

When among people, he could finally feel like a real Vulcan.

Of course he was aware that the Captain remembered about his human half. Jim knew him only too well. But there was one more person who, despite repeated reminders about his Vulcan appearance, didn't forget about his dual nature.

Time and time again, Leonard McCoy demanded that Spock admitted to having emotions. And while Spock wasn't going to say it aloud, deep inside him he was quite grateful for that. All his life he wanted to be treated like a normal Vulcan. He achieved his goal. And yet as the Doctor reminded him of his unwanted, carefully concealed half, he didn't mind. He really didn't.

Because it enraptured him no end that this possibly most human of all humans really could see a human inside him.

**A/N: What do you think?**


	4. If he had been human

**A/N: Hello! I want to say a huge THANK YOU to my three beautiful reviewers. I love you all! Minecraft Guardiansaiyan, thanks again! Zanne13 and Guest - you are anonymous, so I can't thank you personally, but want to do it now. You have no idea how happy your reviews made me, you are just the best! Also, I want to thank these wonderful people who followed/added this story to favorites – you guys are amazing! And thank you all who read! This chapter is especially for Guest (you asked me to write more!) and these who followed. I hope you enjoy it! :D Let me know what you think!**

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_If he had been human_

From time to time there were days when the Doctor was sad. Spock could always sense it, despite the fact that the man was pretty good at hiding it.

On days like these his usually bright eyes were subdued, he lacked his typical energy, he didn't appear on the Bridge... He worked with an uncharacteristic calmness and wasn't heard growling at his patients. Or anybody at all. This was nothing less than unsettling.

On days like these Spock wished he could have done something. If he had been human, he would have simply asked what was bothering the Doctor. He would have put a hand on his friend's shoulder and said that everything was going to be all right, that he wasn't alone. If he had been human, he would have even offered a hug. A talk. A drink. _If_ he had been human.

On days like these Spock wished he had. As a Vulcan, he had much less to offer. All he could give was his green blood and his pointy ears.

Even on days like these McCoy couldn't resist making a remark about them if he was given a chance. And Spock had never found a better use for his Vulcan appearance than to make his friend's eyes shine again, even if just a little.

**A/N: I had a little problem with grammar in this chapter, so tell me if you find a mistake. Thanks for reading! :)**


	5. The weather forecasters

**A/N: Hello! Thank you all who read the last chapter. Love you. This one was inspired by McCoy's quote from the episode „The Devil in the Dark". Enjoy! :D**

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_The weather forecasters_

It's not that it ever rained in space. At least not literally. But sometimes Spock caught himself thinking about rain.

He always knew what weather was in the Captain's mind. It was usually sunny there. There were days when the storm raged. Sometimes there were just some clouds. And, of course, there were also rainy days at times.

Spock wasn't overly fond of these last ones. They put him in most inconvenient position. In the position of... not knowing how to react, what to do. He was left with a feeling of helplessness, watching his friend in such a miserable state and being unable to help.

He was never a man to comfort somebody. He could provide the logical arguments and some useful advice. They were invaluable in case of a storm. He could be a great companion on sunny days. He was even able to chase the intrusive clouds away on occasion, simply with his presence, silent signs of understanding, sympathy... But he found himself helpless against the rain. So when it rained he simply stood by his Captain, offering his company. He didn't bring an umbrella, he got a wetting with him.

Fortunately, he wasn't the only weather forecaster abroad the Enterprise. It never ceased to amaze him just how much McCoy could do with a single look, single smile, single word. Wasn't it fascinating that the rain stopped immediately and they could both dry off, watching the remaining puddles disappear?

And when Spock sensed a break in the weather in his own heart, he knew to whom to go.

One day the Doctor said he might have been able to cure a rainy day. Spock, on the other hand, was implicitly sure of it. As McCoy was so fond of reminding, he was a doctor. It was his job, to cure things. So he cured everything, even the bad weather. Even a rainy day. Even a heart. A green one too. Fascinating.

**A/N: Yeah, that's it. I really hope you like it. I would LOVE to know if you do, please leave me a review!**

**While writing this, I didn't know the meaning of a phrase „rainy day", I thought it meant simply a day when it rains, the bad weather. But I think it is still okay. Maybe I am just less original than I thought I was, because I compared a rainy day to some kind of a bad mood. :P I want to learn new English phrases and words in order to develop my writing skills. You see, the thing is, I read books in Polish, not in English. That's why my writing in English is not as good as I would like to. So I'm buying some books in English today and I want to start writing a longer story with actual plot, dialogues and everything. ;)**

**Thank you for reading, lovely people! You have no idea how happy I am that you read this, really. Take care! :)**


	6. So much more

**A/N: Hello! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support, I appreciate it more than I can say in words. Thank you for these sweet reviews! I read them over and over again, I almost know them by heart. ;) Michele, thank you, my dear! It's so good to know you liked them! :D Greta Herron, I want to thank you as well for your advise, I've already corrected this fragment. Both of your reviews made me so happy! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.**

**Minecraft Guardiansaiyan, you were right, it is becoming longer and longer... I hope this one isn't too long, though, and still can be called „a short story". :)**

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_So much more_

Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic! I'm a doctor, not a coal miner! Not an escalator, not a psychiatrist! Not a magician or a bricklayer! I'm a doctor!

Yes, Leonard McCoy definitely was a doctor. He pointed it out often enough for everybody to remember. He was a doctor, nothing less and nothing more as well.

But God, he was so much more.

Wasn't he a mechanic? He was the only person James Kirk knew who could repair him so quickly after another unsuccessful mission, after he made some misguided decisions again, which led to a disaster. He could rewire his heart with incredible confidence and gentleness... He really was able to fix everyone and everything.

Wasn't he a miner? Once he got to your heart, he didn't stop digging in search of all the deposits of beauty in you, looking for your wealth, hidden wonders. And once he found them, he brought them out of you, carefully, smiling enthusiastically, because he found a treasure inside you and then you knew you weren't just a bin of rubbish, because someone took the time and effort to show you you were a miracle, you were worth of love...

Did he really say he wasn't an escalator? Did he not know that without him Kirk wouldn't be able to make his way up on the another and another floor? Sometimes he was too weak to use traditional stairs in his life. His friend was always there for him, always there to get him higher.

He also said he wasn't a psychiatrist. What a nonsense. He was one, and one of the best. And not just for him, for every single one member of the crew. He was always willing to listen to everybody, ready to help. People sensed it and trusted him. He was there for them.

He said he wasn't a magician. Oh, Kirk wouldn't agree with that. He wouldn't be able to count the times McCoy saved his or Spock's life, the times he worked several dozen of hours without cessation to find a vaccine which could save them all, the times when he succeeded in an operation when everyone thought, including McCoy himself, that there was nothing to be done to save the patient. How was he able to do all of this if he didn't use magic?

A bricklayer... This was also kind of truth that McCoy actually was one. Kirk knew how much he had suffered in his life. He had experienced rejection, loss, death of a loved one. He knew how it felt to be left alone, broken. And he wasn't going to let anyone hurt him again. So he built a strong wall around his heart, he barricaded himself there, didn't let anyone inside. Almost anyone. Kirk and few others had the privilege to come in. And to stay.

Leonard McCoy was so much more than just a doctor.

He was so much more than he thought he was.

**A/N: Reviews are appreciated. :)**


	7. The reasons

**A/N: Hello, people! :) Thank you all again for these reviews! You guys are the best! :D**

**As to this particular chapter... well, it's a bit different from the previous ones. I think it's a little naive, it's also nothing of a "character study". It refers to the same quote as "So much more". Actually, I wrote "So much more" while writing this. :) I just felt like writing about it, so sorry about that... Anyway, I still hope you enjoy it. You will tell me what you think, won't you? :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

_The reasons_

Sometimes Kirk wondered why Spock always called McCoy "doctor". There were a few possible reasons...

Spock was a very formal person, he addressed him "captain" almost all the time. But when they were off-duty, "Jim" seemed to be enough for him. And yet he had never heard Spock using McCoy's first name, although he knew that despite their constant fights they were incredibly close to each other. However, maybe not as close as he and Spock? But then again, even Scotty was "Mr. Scott" to Spock, not an "engineer". And McCoy still was a "doctor"...

Perhaps it was a result of Spock's deep respect for McCoy's knowledge and abilities as a physician. He had a true regard for his determination and devotion to his work.

And maybe it was due to the fact that McCoy was a doctor even when he was off-duty? He didn't stop to be one when he got outside his Sickbay, he was always ready to help. He was the healer in so many ways... But was that the reason?

Probably yes. But Kirk couldn't get rid of a suspicion... Hadn't he known Spock so well, he would have rejected such a thought as soon as it appeared in his head, but he was aware that Spock wasn't a machine and could be just as stubborn and mischievous as McCoy. That gave him some grounds to think that Spock, having in mind McCoy's "I'm a doctor, not a...", decided to keep addressing him this way until his friend would finally snap, irritated:

"Spock, I'm Leonard, not a doctor!"


	8. What if

**A/N: Hello there! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't thank you enough! :D**

**MaryChapel, double thanks for these reviews! You are so very nice! :) Guest, love, you! Thank you so much. :) Stellar Spark, yeah, you can never tell with a Vulcan. Let alone a half-Vulcan. ;) Thank you for leaving me this comment! :)**

**Please, enjoy! :) Yay, I love you all, tell me what you think!**

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_What if_

What if he hadn't stood against his father? What if he hadn't gone to the Starfleet Academy? What if he hadn't been assigned to the Enterprise? What if... if he hadn't met _them_? Who would he be now?

Spock knew that reflecting on such matters was pointless and illogical, for all of it _had_ happened and thus it was no use pondering how it would have been if things had been different. But sometimes such thoughts appeared in his head as he lay on a bed in his quarters, unable to fall asleep. Sometimes such thoughts appeared and he didn't chase them away. He let them be, because... surprisingly, they weren't distressful. Nothing of a sort.

He could have gone to the Vulcan Science Academy and never met his friends. He could have been obedient, could have behaved as he was expected to. He could have become his father. These thoughts were somehow reassuring.

Because he didn't.

He wouldn't have wished for a different past, although the one he had was filled with difficulties, tribulations. He made the right decisions, which led him to the present. And it all had happened. He had met them. He had them. He had reasons to be grateful for.

And as he lay on a bed in his quarters and such thoughts appeared in his head, he smiled. Barely visibly. Well... perhaps his father wouldn't have approved.

The smile widened a little.

What if he had still cared so much about his opinion?

**A/N: The review box is just below. :)**


	9. The color of a heart

**A/N: Hello! Do you remember me? :) It's been over a year! My love for Star Trek is back and so am I! I had this outlined in my notebook, it was written SO LONG AGO. Today I just rewrote this because hey, why should it go to waste? I don't know what to think about this, but I want to start writing again. So I'm publishing this. Please review. I had a problem with tenses in this one, so tell me if something's wrong, okay? :)**

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_The color of a heart_

The night after their adventure with the Vians Spock found himself unable to fall asleep. Not that anything was wrong. McCoy had been healed and would be back on duty the following day. There was nothing to be worried about.

Still, no matter how hard he tried, he could not sleep. His thoughts revolved around the day's events. Around McCoy.

Spock had to admit that he felt... guilty. What had happened that day was, after all, his fault. After the Doctor sedated Jim with a hypospray, he allowed himself to think that he won. That he managed to protect these humans once again, that they were safe. He allowed himself to believe this and that is why he made a mistake. How could he forget that McCoy was so clever? And, what is even more important, so selfless? Did he not know him? He underestimated him, which resulted in that tragic situation. The Doctor turned out to be braver and more... human than Spock suspected. He sacrificed himself for him, even though it was _Spock's_ duty to protect him. _He_ was the one in command.

He could have... no. He _should_ have predicted this. It was just that... Spock, being a Vulcan, was stronger than humans. The Captain, too, was perfectly capable of defending himself. And McCoy was not. He and Jim had always tried to shelter this man. Spock had always thought he was rather fragile, which, apparently, resulted in him not realising just what McCoy was able to do.

Well. Spock would have to take it into account the next time they were on a mission. He was not going to let anything like that happen again to that grumpy, annoying man. That man with a golden heart.

Spock's heart was green. He had always thought that McCoy's was red.

What a surprise.


End file.
